Saturday, July 21, 2012

I've had my nose to the grindstone writing. Felt it was finally time to come up for air. My mom sent me a photo of when I was an aspiring filmmaker wayyy back in the summer of 1978. It was the year after Star Wars was released. The biggest films that summer were Grease and Christopher Reeve's Superman. I was very much a wannabe filmmaker and had just finished MY first feature film--a monster movie called Stalking Wind. (I really ought to get that thing on YouTube. Right now it's only in Super 8 and VHS formats.)

I wanted to announce a new Facebook Fanpage developed by Brandon and Alexa Wilcox. Go to This Link. I hope this becomes a fun place for fans to get unique information. Brandon and Alexa have begun to set up a cool "timeline" that I intend to add to or embellish (in my copious spare time). But hey, they've already put up a ton of stuff.

I know folks want updates. The next Tennis Shoes book (Vol. 12), I was pleased to discover, is writing itself. I just peek at it from time to time to see how it's coming. Very exciting so far. But my guess is that we're still looking at summer/fall of 2013. It's like writing War and Peace right now (Hey, that could have a double meaning! Except mine was mostly related to sheer Tolstoy-ian length). As I've always suspected, Thorns of Glory will probably get chopped into two books, but I won't let any part of it get released until the whole thing is complete and turned in to the publisher. That way fans can be assured that if a second part is withheld, it will be released within 3 months (or so) of the first part.

I finished a rewrite of my screenplay for my Christmas novel, A Return to Christmas. My production manager wanted me to trim the budget, so I accommodated...I think. Official fundraising starts soon.

Also, this month, on the 29th of July, Hunter Helaman turns the big "1" year(s?) old! Left is a recent photo. He's not walking yet, but he has definitely "stood" on his own for several incontestible seconds. He also clearly says, "Da-Da." Must be hard for a mother to go through so much intensive labor and work caring for baby that first critical year, and then the first word the kid utters is "Da-Da."

Okay, shameless plug. Gotta try and keep my lights on for another month. I've gotten my hands on several classic books, including my original Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites Board Game. Obviously this is a collector's item, but I found (or assembled) 3 pristine copies/editions. Along with that, here's some other stuff I think are either rare and interesting finds or new releases. Many are the only copies I have in my possession. So when it's gone....you get the picture.